Today the Investigative Committee of Russia held a briefing to review its work for 9 months of 2018. The event was chaired by Alexander Bastrykin and attended by his deputy Igor Krasnov, heads of Central Office departments and chiefs of a number of regional investigations directorates that feature some drawbacks in their performance.

Summarizing the results of the work of the Committee, the Chairman noted that the number of probes launched by all investigative units totalled in 178,798; and 98,022 investigations were concluded. As a result of complex measures of strengthening of investigative units and forensics assistance the murder clearance reached 95%, clearance of probes into inflictions of grave injuries reached 97% and rape clearance reached 99%. In this Alexander Bastrykin paid attention to drawbacks of work - some investigative units are exceeding time limits of probes.

Reports of heads of investigations directorates of Primorsky Region, the Republic of Khakassia, Astrakhan Region, and Novgorod Region on results of their work for 9 months of 2018 were listened to separately. Alexander Bastrykin pointed out for them and for other present heads of regional investigative units that it is necessary to seek compensation of damage for probes into non-payment of wages and to work on reducing time limits for probes. Moreover, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee demanded to take immediate measures for cases involving violations of rights of socially unprotected classes of citizens, pensioners, veterans and minors.

Taking into account low performance indicators of Primorsky Regional Investigations Directorate, Alexander Bastrykin decided to suspend the Head of this unit Sergey Grysykhin and instructed to launch an official assessment into him. Alexander Bastrykin is intended to visit Primorsky Region and to hold there a personal reception of citizens.

A separate attention was also paid to human resources management. Alexander Bastrykin instructed the Central Office to revise the effectiveness of use of staff capacity in investigative unites present at the briefing by their chiefs and caseloads for investigators. The Chairman of the Committee decided to continue reorganising these units in order to increase the share of investigators in current staffing level.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia indicated crimes against person, crimes committed by organized criminal groups, crimes against minors and crimes involving economic and corruption offences as key priorities. Alexander Bastrykin demanded to intensify investigations into non-obvious probes and crimes of previous years. The Chairman instructed to review once again the performance of investigations directorates that have triggered today some claims about their performance. Personnel and management measures will be taken if these assessments reveal any grounds for that.

Official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia S. Petrenko